The Ties That Bind Us
by The fleeting wanderer
Summary: Percy was alone and cold and ...well she needed an apprentice. Percy had no idea what he was getting into but maybe, maybe it was better than whatever else fate could have planned for him. That day destiny itself was changed. OR: When Percy messed with fates plan. AGAIN. (a screw up of epic proportions is an understatement)
1. Prologue

Mom was cold, he thought dimly as her frail hand gripped his wrists, his breath almost hitched only for relief to rush through him when she simply pulled him back, not filled with strength but he was all too happy to hug her.

"Love you Mom, I'll see you tomorrow"

She kissed his forehead, and tears came, she hadn't done this since he was a kid, and he only held on tighter, she ran a finger through his unruly hair like she always did.

"I love you too, Percy"

And when he reluctantly pulled away-

-A gasp almost, almost escaped, she looked more alive than he'd seen her for a long time.

And he smiled, a big floppy smile cause she looked like when they were at Montauk any lines faded and her smile like the sun, relief because she was finally back from all those hazy moments where she couldn't even hear him.

And he left the nurses greeting the happy child because that smile was like the sun over the ocean- achingly breathtaking, pure joy that only a child could ever display.

She didn't glance down at his wrists in worry, long sleeves and an even longer hoody in place to conceal the vulnerable veins.

No Sally Jackson didn't smile awkwardly under the burden of knowing exactly why they were bandaged because she had no need to stare and contemplate what she knew was true, that her son wasn't the smiling boy he tried to be just for her. This was what let her smile despite the throbbing pain, what allowed her to pull through at the end of each day when a voice in the back of her mind, asked _is this really worth it_.

Her beautiful son was what made her say , with no disbelief at all, _yes_.

But today was ending and when the nurse came to usher Percy out she made sure to give him a kiss on the forehead, summoning all her last strength and love and hope and placing it all on his forehead as she greeted him goodbye, a hug and a smile that showed none of her dawning realisation.

As he left the familiar haze assaulted her once more, the moments of clear thinking reserved simply for him alone, she returned to bed, but you see the day was ending and despite the clockwork demanding of that small voice, ( _Give up_ ) today it remained silent.

Because she knew for certain that she was dying.

Not the steady progression of before because now she could feel herself drifting as if the world was water and the smallest current could blow her off the anchor that pinned her to the land. Lying down she closed her eyes.

And that night Percy Jackson glanced at the razor and then back at his wrist, a guilty twist in his gut but made no move to pick up the blade because there was no itching urge, no stress to repay.

(only for it to come back late that night with interest slamming into him, _he couldn- couldn't Breath_ his lungs refused to work and his heart slammed into his rib cage in a furious denial _no nononoNoNONO_ )

A glass filled with water

Shattered.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hi, so this is my first fic and I really appreciate all the people who took time to actually read this far, Heck knows I didn't think, I would be able to actually write this- but it's been bugging me and I just had to.**

 **So yeah drop a review and await the spam, cause I'm on break and I CAN WRITE ALL I WANT.**

 **P.s most of my posting is probably not going to be regular which I'm completely sorry for.**

 **With lots of love to all my readers**

 **Mind**

Thanatos could taste it, in the air, and could only sigh.

 **Sally Jackson:**

 **Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome**

 **17 May 2008, 21:54, New York, - Hospital, Room 327**

 **Soul:is ready to be collected. _**

Yes, this foretold disaster and he could only comply with his master's wishes.

He watched as they diagnosed the woman dead, arranging for her route to Las Vegas, that was the easy part. You see the hard part was when he would go to Lord Hades and tell him.

Tell him of the child he could smell, a child of the sea.

 _Lord Poseidon, I wish you the best of luck, you will need it._ He dreaded being the bearer of the news, he couldn't spare much pity for the Lord of the seas because it meant he would suffer.

The Lord Hades never had caught on to the convention to _not shoot the messenger_. Wings aching in anticipation, Thanatos made his way _slowly_ to his destination.

* * *

Ariel, to most, seemed like a simple being. She got up at 6:00 every morning to a cup of coffee, got ready and opened her store at 7:30, a dual store with cool nick nacks and a cafe.

She was short, easygoing rather pretty but that wasn't all that notable in the big city of manhattan.

All in all a rather calm and mundane 21 year old.

Which of course didn't fit the image of the girl currently bolting through the crowds of every day workers heading home. She was silently seething, and berating herself for not claiming the energy beacon of an animal that she had recently detected lashing out.

LIke a calm and considerate person towards the hurt animal, she of course left it alone to grieve, but that was clearly a mistake because now something was trying to _take_ it from her.

 _Hands off, bastard! I felt it first._ She mentally snarled.

Racing towards her threatened prize, blissfully unaware of the danger. Skidding around the corner she came face to face with ... _What The Fuck is That Thing!_

And no she wasn't talking about the bloody big black dog with Fire eyes in front of her (hellhound she faintly thought in the back of her head). She was talking about the _hideous , neon pink_ collar around it's neck.

Of course she was aware that any person passing by would see a cute dog with a pink collar. But to her it seemed comical. Amusement and horror warred with each other in sight of such a monstrosity.

 _Who puts a_ neon pink _collar on a fricking hellhound?_ (in a place far away Hades wondered if her should have removed the collar from his most prized darling before he sent her after the spawn of poseidon and after a minute of contemplation he settled that it was useless anyway. It's not as if the boy would live long enough and it certainly wasn't worth the hassle of getting the thing _off_ Nerezza.)

Our favourite 10 year old just stared, there was a - big -black - dog trying to _eat_ him, he was hyperventilating, his body refused to budge as he urged it to turn and bolt.

One moment he was staring at the huge eyes staring in turn, trying not to gape as white fang was exposed in a growl that was so loud he could feel it vibrate in his chest, to the next where he was staring at an expanse of midnight black fur and a tail ... so yes, the first ever encounter Percy Jackson ever had included the encounter with a hellhounds _butt._

The Hellhound was growling at the girl now for ruining it's turn the shadows in the alley darkened as her eyes flashed crimson to match. Her features pulled into a snarl with matching intensity.

Without a warning of any kind the simply… moved. A spear materialising out of nowhere into her curled hand.

So:

Hair still in a pony tail - check

dead hellhound - check

Water affinity pet - not so much

Registering the boy cowering against the wall was surprise. One, because she was looking for her energy source and two, well if your mass of energy turned out to be a skinny boy, I'm sure you'd be disappointed too.

Yep, she sighed after checking for the fifth time, it was not a small animal instead it was a small homeless boy, who was now sizing her up at this very moment and from the fear in his eyes and how they focused on the pointy stick in her hand, she could safely assume his verdict was- _not good_ \- well for him at least.

What to do, she had been planning on adopting said animal and keeping it as a loyal sidekick but now that didn't seem a viable option seeing as it was a human. I mean yes she already had a dragon familiar but there was only so much human perception could mistake it for, before they started coming up with wild conclusions.

Not a pet, but she couldn't help but pity the boy. Something was trying to kill him and he didn't seem to have the slightest bit of training. At least she was a good year into her training before it happened to her.

"Yo, shrimp, what's your name?" (hey! You can't blame her, their first impression was already fucked up,not like she could make it any better)

To be fair to the green-eyed boy, he did just see his first hellhound and then had said hellhound gutted right in front of him by the shortest woman he had ever seen and ... was that a sword in her hand?

She waited her patience shortening by the second. Not only did she have to leave the store to Liam but now she couldn't get an answer. _Stupid dog ruining my day, thinking they can take what's_ _ **mine**_ , which of course led her to the fact that what she was essentially claiming the little boy in front of her, _why couldn't you have been a magically enabled chihuahua?_ She thought sorrowfully.

Well she had claimed him essentially, and her magic seemed rather against the idea of leaveing the boy behind. She sighed, but then an idea hit her and she couldn't resist the pull of the smirk that left shivers in it's wake. _Awww, how cute, he's scared._

Creepy lady is smirking, _shit Percy, Run!_

"Percy is it?" he was stunned as she paused "Nope, Perseus, that's more like it."

She smiled "well then percy it seems you're coming with me."

 _The Hell?!_

* * *

Percy didn't really go to strange lady's homes normally, especially if they knew his name.

But it was cold, it was May (rainy season) and he was wet, not to mention after the first day, running away from foster care turned out to be not exactly the best idea (who'd a known?).

So yeah he ended up following her, not exactly sure about anything really.

His black hair was plastered to his face in the rain, blue lipped and shivering, the asian woman turned and scrutinized him, clearly from the look she shot him she was unimpressed by what she saw.

"Makes sure you close the door behind you" she said as she moved into her apartment. Percy peeked inside her large apartment cautiously before following her in, being mindful to shut the door at the gust of breeze that had ice crawling up his spine.

A flying something smacked him in the face.

"OW" - "Hurry up and get dry and don't forget to take off your shoes". She called from where she was entering a kitchen looking place.

He hastily complied with her orders, toeing his shoes off and placing them on the rack with an assortment of other shoes as he started drying himself with the same towel that left a red mark on the bridge of his nose.

He stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do with himself. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all_ her wondered.

"Sit down" she said gently motioning to the couch in front of which was a table that held two steaming mugs and some biscuits _when did that get there?_ He vaguely wondered as he complied.

She sat opposite him and as the boy, Perseus fiddled with his short she felt something change inside her, not the melting at the sight of a baby simple a shift, she would definitely have to have a look at that later.

"Who are you?" shock ran through him as he tried to remember when he made the decision to talk.

"Who am I? Oh … yeah that's a good place to start" she fiddled a bit at the fact that she had allowed her mind to wander before presenting her hand. He stared at it as if a foreign obejct about to bite him, why had she given her hand, to shake maybe? "I'm Ariel".

"Like the mermaid" _stupid Percy! Stop saying everything that comes to mind._ She withdrew her hand and he felt as if he's missed something importantbut the laughter was unexpected, "Yes, exactly like the mermaid" she sent him a look "though I wouldn't put my bets on me bursting into song" he snorted at that _maybe … this isn't so bad after all._

She steeled herself wondering if she should really be doing this. This was something entirely new to her but if it succeeded, _it would be so worth it_. _I could finally ..._

"So I run the store downstairs, and I would like to have you as my apprentice". She reached for the mental link between them as the boy remained silent. Really if people didn't want their minds poked at they should just _answer her_.

 _Oh, yeah that cool store with the- Apprentice?!_

"Yes, my apprentice, cause I don't always run the store downstairs" her face was set seriously and suddenly he was aware of her aura, a suffocating presence that was crushing him.

The black pools that were her eyes pinned him in place, "What _do_ you do?" by now percy had given up on restraining himself and what the heck, she could read his thoughts anyway so she knew what he was thinking.

"You've got to say yes first"

 _Thanks, real helpful_ he sniped sarcastically. Because honestly what could he do. He could return to foster care, but he didn't really like the stories many of the kids at the orphanage had said about some of the foster parents. He could go back to life on the streets but one look at the window outside didn't seem to exactly favor that option. "Okay",

He appreciated just for a moment seeing her surprised face, then she smiled "Okay then".

She looked at the steaming mugs and there was solemn look on her face, "First we must drink", reaching forward and cupping the hot mixture.

It looked whitish and creamy, and it smelt delicious, like chocolate. He raised it to his lips slowly-

-"It has poison in it." he jerked away sharply, spilling some of the hot liquid on himself.

He hissed, putting the mug down hastily and wiping at the brown patch where it had landed, but she continued heedless, sipping her drink.

"You see when you have drunk it, it'll mean you're handing your destiny over to me" the living room flickered as if it were a TV with bad reception, growing fuzzy, flickering in and out of focus with another image over the top. A much darker image.

He didn't care about the cave-like room, it loomed ominously but that did not register either. Instead he focused on the woman before him, who's alternate image was something even more frightening than the beast he glimpsed earlier that day.

Blood red slitted eyes that bore into him, midnight hair half up and pinned by an ornate jade hairdresser with red and white petal like ornaments looping on boths sides of her head, gold embezzled and delicate chains of it falling, leading to her mockingly white and gold robes that wrapped around her in an elegant kimono fashion.

She was timeless and scary, oppressive presence taking over the room, and he froze like a mouse cornered.

 _Bloodlust_ he registered faintly, _she wants to_ kill _me._

"Astute observation" she lazily smirked, "you'll be handing over your whole life, to me, past death, if I tell you go… you will simply go". She looked to the side contemplatively. "In exchange you will get training and when you can, a normal life ... I will not promise power" she looked at him sharply in the eye and he couldn't help but flinch back.

"That particular aspect is all down to you, but you will also get my protection" she raised her hand to eye level, palm up. Something was glowing a mystical blue behind him, he glanced back only to find the source of the misty lights was not behind him but _from_ him _._

It swirled around him like an old friend, lighting up the whole room. What before was a dimly lit cave with the endless corners of darkness, was now lit up under the gentle touch of the blue light, not that he cared. The warm feeling around him, it reminded him of - mom- . Tears welled as he smelt blue cookies and the warm taste of chocolate filled his mind.

He didn't know when the tears started falling, he never would-

" _Percy" a warm hand cupped his face_

She's gone! Stop!

 _A warm kiss on his forehead, and the brush of warm hands through his hair. When he was four as he cuddled up to her "The darkness will never get, I'll never let it" he cuddled into her warmth._

He was numb "Please, make it stop!" he pleaded blindly.

Waves of grief like the tied dragging at him, wanting him to **drown.**

" _Percy" all he could see was her happy smile, as he stood there in the kitchen, which was a disaster zone, a laugh, she was clutching her middle and hanging on to him for support as she surveyed the kitchen. "Happy Birthday?" She smiled at him "Thank you", pulling him into a hug._

He was sobbing now but he couldn't hear it as he lullaby took over.

 _The moon is bright,_

 _the wind is quiet,_

 _The cradle moving softly,_

 _My little one,_

 _close your eyes,_

 _Sleep, sleep,_

 _dreaming sweet dreams._

He stopped struggling and the tide of grief pulled him under, he couldn't breathe, couldn't move and he never even felt the pain when his knees hit the unforgiving ground.

 _She moved slowly, walking with all the time in the world, Gabe was playing poker and wanted them out the house and the park was sunny the world golden and green._

" _Percy! Come look at this" She kneeled by something and when peaked to go see what it is, a floof of flowers was in his face, tickling his nose._

 _It was yellow and very soft, prompting a sneeze from the poor boy "They're Chrysanthemums," she tucked some in her hair, "They mean loyalty"._

 _She said as tucked some in his hair. He swatted at them_

" _Mom, I'm not a girl"_

 _Yes smiled tucking white flowers behind his ears, laughing like she hadn't for months now with the stress of her new job and husband._

" _My big boy is all grown up now" she seemed almost sad._

 _Well that was before he tackled her into the flower bed._

" _There's no such thing as blue food!" the disgusting walrus exclaimed._

 _Blue cookies, blue pancakes_

 _Blue Birthday cake_

" _Thanks mom" she smiled knowingly at him "Whatever for Percy"_

 _As she hugged him and slipped a bag of blue sweets into his bag._

" _MOM!" panic , reliving the wound so fresh._

 _Mom was ashen and cold as she lay there_

" _Mom, Mom wake up"_

 _Smile, Smile so that she had no worry._

 _He could feel his mask cracking each time, just that little bit more and he knew it was only a matter of time, before he too broke._

 _And then it was better because he could control it, the pain was okay because it was_ his _pain, blood on his arm where the razor ran a shaky line across his skin._

 _It was okay, it made the pain better and the next time he saw her, window open, he could smile and not feel the brittleness of it._

" _Hey, mom2 and she would smile and then they would go into the courtyard, just like that day in the park and they would smile._

 _She couldn't hear him anymore a glazed look in her eyes and a brief moment that he couldn't smile and the lines on his arm slowly multiplied._

 _Thick scars where the same place had been on the sharp end of the razor more than once._

 _Twice_

 _Four times_

 _Ten times_

 _And then they were on the back of his legs, long thin and pale as he wore longer shirts._

 _The mask had no more cracks, they were all sealed over._

 _No the cracks were in him now, behind a careful facade._

 _His smile wasn't broken._

 _No_

 _Because he broke long ago and he wasn't going to let it show._

Blackness crept in, darkening the memories, the tears turning the taste in his mouth to salt and his head against the cold hard ground.

He was weak, and it hurt and he just wanted it to end, over, a slender hand cupped the back of his head from where he was sprawled on the floor.

"Drink" it was gentle, as the warm liquid was cupped to his lips

Hot chocolate, warm and welcoming, with a bitter aftertaste _poison_ he remembered dimly, _it's over_ it was weak and nowhere near as gleeful as the end should be, but there was an overwhelming feeling of relief.

 _It's over it finally over. . . Thank You._

 **And done!, wow this chapter was really hard. and kinda depressing, sad songs playing in the background just to get into the mood, but have no fear, the happy stuff will come soon just bear with me a bit.**

 **Thanks and signing off**

 **Mind**

 **(P.S would love if you told me what you thought)**


	3. Chapter 2

"The Keystone!" she shrieked with her sisters, as she felt her weaving waiver, before her lay uncertainty, which was normal, but this time there was more, much more … too much.

She could not envision blurred lines that the strings before her would make, instead it was all turning into one swamp of blurred colour, all because of the Keystone.

"Calm" Clotho, her sister of the drawing from the veil's power, soothed over her shrieking, her pain, her ... _SHE COULD NOT SEE._ "Shut up" Atropos snapped at Clotho, concerned for her sister, as her pain continued wracked through her.

To any passing they would see as her hands bled, scars ripping open from her as blood pooled at her feet, it was all changing too fast.

Clotho suffered the least, she could still feel the thread she needed to draw from behind the unknown, vaguely feeling the outline from one to the other, a guessing game to even her until she finally presented the thread to the world.

Atropos, on the other hand, could feel her scissors humming, ready to be drawn, knowing she was there was much to cut. Could feel it sharpening in anticipation, so much so that even the handle cut into her, pain thrumming through her, pulsing sharply. She did not have the grace to gasp in pain, no they were not permitted.

Lachesis could feel the 'blood' pooling at her feet, which she dimly thought of _how odd_ she had not anchored herself into a body enough to actually gain wounds, but she was denied that, she was a fate, she was _not_ allowed to vanish from the pain the veil must be doing the anchoring for her as she felt all the threads she had painstakingly weaved into place, rip from their places ripping her skin with it.

Lachesis finally stopped screaming but the nausea of the shifting thread, caused her to fall to her knees.

"The world weaving … gone … keystone … missing" Lachesis could not bear it any longer and despite the veils hardest effort to chain her to the mortal realm, she slipped through its intangible fingers and through the veil.

\- that day the world changed, because the keystone, or the one thread that was supposed to remain a constant _vanished_ unable to stabilise the thread of the future and leaving the fates in pain as all that _should be_ … shifted.

Almost any fixed points that had ever existed for the future disappeared, the fates could no more vague the future than any other mortal shaman-

In the mortal realm, away from the 'in between' that housed the fates teenagers froze as a pitched echoing scream travelled through the valley, weapons ready facing the source, The Big House.

Above in Olympus, Apollo couldn't breathe _so this is what asphyxiation feels like_ which he shouldn't as gods didn't _need to breathe_ . He fell to his knees as pain rippled through him.

Deep in his slumber, Ra felt the ripple through daut and turned away.

All over the world shamans curled into their minds for sanctuary others thanked their pantheon for their protection from the sheer power of the … shift, while their gods suffered under it.

\- The world had changed and everyone knew it-

Well everyone besides a boy asleep in an alley who felt it as he was blocked from Morpheus's power and turned away further into his sleep. That day Percy Jackson was hidden from the Great Weave of Fate.

\- The Keystone of the future had… disappeared-

A half-blood of the eldest gods

To never reach sixteen

The hero's soul, no hero no more

The final traitor to the unknown

...Olympus

* * *

"You're different" Percy blinked the sleep out of his eyes as a small curious head looked down at him. The dream where he drank poison still so fresh in his mind and he could almost imagine the taste on his tongue.

"I mean most peopol want their wevenge and some o' dem ain't weally nice people, but you don't want yours, well it's hard to tell 'cause your like weally, weeally faint almost as if you're not there, but you are here - so that can't be wight, but you're like … different. Oh and I'm Eth- wait Dad always says I shou- shoun- can't ... tell peopol my name but you…"

Percy struggled to keep up with the bubbly kid, Jeez did the kid ever _breath._

"... and so I fink it's okay so yeah, I'm Ethan and you were just like lying here…"

Reflexively Percy clutched his backpack almost as if it could protect him from the avalanche of words that threatened to bury him.

( _When did he get the backpack?_ He thought at the back of his mind. _And how did he just_ know _it was his_ )

He sat up from the cold concrete which he hadn't even realised he was lying on, noting the batton stuck to the side of the blue backpack that cost way more than he had ever had "Um hi? I'm Percy" the eight-year-old said cautiously as -the kid- Ethan took a big gulp of air.

"Why are you here?" Ethan did the cute kid thing where tipped his head to the side and stared at Percy with big eyes.

"I don't know, where even am I?" he asked glancing around at the alley he lay in, a fire escape above him and the sky lighting up the end of the tunnel-like space.

"No clue" the black haired five year old chirped, "I was lost and I found you here so…" he trailed off, as he stared at something behind Percy, the eight-year-old frowned curiously and turned his head.

Were those flip-flops, a high pitched deranged laughter echoed through the hallway, "kararin kororin kankororin" it chanted gleefully as it raced towards them.

So before either of them realised it, Percy had jumped to his feet and was pulling Ethan along by his hand as he ran the opposite way from the deranged sandal-headed-dwarf-monster. The five-year-old struggled to keep up on short legs and Percy swept him up, carrying him awkwardly as he bolted down the back streets of Manhattan.

The crazed laughter grew louder, the sandal monster so near that it soon would be in reaching distance to jump on his back. He was fast, for an eight-year-old but that meant nothing to a spirit- monster.

He felt his hackles go up and just at the last minute he threw himself to the side narrowly avoiding the three fingered claws that sought to dig into his skin.

Roughly landing , as he tried to protect the five-year-old , arm wrapped around Ethan as his shoulder took the brunt of the fall. He sifted and pain lanced up his atm , dimmed by the adrenaline that pumped through his system flushing his cheeks.

The one-eyed sandal monster turned to them and Percy's arm reached out desperately for _something, anything_ to try and hit the thing with, he could only reach his backpack and he gripped it in preparation.

The _thing_ approached and just it was within grabbing distance he swung with all his might.

 _RiRi- ii -ip_

Something gave and it was no the backpack that hit the creature but instead the odd metal baton that had violently dislodged from the side of said bag.

He stared numbly at the flip-flop that had violently hit the wall and crumpled to the ground _he didn't hit it that hard, did he?_ And that blue light that flashed from his dream was a _trick of the light, right?_

Ethan grabbed the backpack and Percy's uninjured arm and pulled him.

"Percy come _on_ , let's go".

Percy numbly got to his feet eyes only seeing the downed creature, but he quickly followed Ethan as it began to stir.

"Yeah let's go"

* * *

Hades frowned, as his strongest most prized hellhound (who had the most powerful puppy do eyes in existence- he flinched at the thought of the pink _bedazzled_ collar that had her begging with a whine to the high heavens) had been defeated by the _spawn_ of his brother. But Hades was not a dimwit, he was not going to believe that, the child didn't know of his heritage and from the scent that Thanatos had presented him with there was no hint of training, he should be _dead_ , lining up at the doors of the Judges as Hades watched his young soul who had been doomed to the fate since the day he was born as the son of an oath-breaker.

The oddest thing however was not the defeat of Nerezza (darkness in Italian), in remembrance of Maria his grudges lasted through eons and so did his loves and so his strongest hellhound honoured her (he loved and loved and lost it _all to his youngest brother,_ his children- Bianca… Nico, his love...Maria), no the oddest was now that he was aware of the son of Poseidon he should be able to sense him easily, and he could … up until yesterday.

Poseidon did not only break his oath, but he was also interfering. Which Hades would _not allow_. Why should he be able to hold his child when Hades couldn't even see them for fear that Zeus would know he had gone to the surface and would be watched, and he _was not letting his children die to his foolish egomaniac of a brother._

Despites Poseidon's power, his brother wasn't the most cunning of gods, he could not keep his child under the sea with him, not yet, but his cloaking power was not completely undetectable at least not to one of Hades' standard.

But first, he needed to find where the child was last.

His eyes closed in concentration.

Black pools burning with wrath snapped open

 _There._

* * *

Ariel waited sitting in her mortal form, sipping a mug of hot chocolate idly as she waited as she had done for hours now.

Her young apprentice was going to awaken to _Bakezori_ soon, she smiled as she remembered conjuring the spirit from all the way in China, the diminutive had been so confused as it's single eye had blinked dizzily at her. A sandal monster that was so old and that had so many owners that it had gained a life of it's own from all the personality's it had met.

She laughed at that thought, a clear and crystal sound, as she remembered their catchy chant "Kararin kororin" she hummed to her own tune, with a docile smile on her lips, oh they were so cute those little things, but just about scary enough for an eight year old apprentice who was so green behind the ears that trees could envy him.

She felt her clone moving around as it arranged the procession, it was the least she could do for the boy as she waited. The Hellhound with the pink collar had been looking for her charge and something had been tracking him ,she could sense it and it was only an amount of time before the source finally came looking. She knew of Hades was coming and she was waiting.

Too bad for him this was _her_ home turf and he was standing right where she wanted him should he try anything.

She felt him searching and she purposefully amplified the magical signatures around her, enough that he would find it easily, but in no way guess a trap, it kinda helped that her apprentice had a large signature, _they would have to work on that._

There.

He was coming, she focused , this was Hades, of the greek pantheon, he preferred the male form and had a wife named Persephone.

By only thinking the facts she would not affect his personality, she would meet him and see his true personality not tempers or appearances forced on him by the power of human persuasion on the veil that controlled all power.

She felt the clone return to her, done arranging the transport for her and Percy to the destination.

She didn't even blink at the deity that had appeared in her room, to any normal person empty space suddenly turned into a tall imposing man in a finely tailored suit, but to her, he announced it loud and clear as he entered almost glacially slow.

"Hades" she greeted, with a nod of her head, rising and offering her hand, they were equals and he was not going to think otherwise.

Inwardly she smirked, his shock carefully hidden, she held all the cards _so what are you gonna do about that?_

He, however, felt powerful, she saw him, well more she didn't see him he was himself untainted by the human view of his power and temper, he was Pluto and Hades, whole as he hadn't been in a long time, powerfull.

He raised his hand slowly and slipped his into hers to shake it, she gripped it as quickly as lightning, using the contact to wrap them both in a bit of her magic and move them to the other dimension. Suddenly the power he felt didn't seem so significant in face of her power enough to move them both, and she showed no state of energy depletion no matter how small, he almost shivered at thought of how much power she held.

One side of her lip lifted slightly as she released his hand. She knew she was the image in her other form, she was represented as whatever she wished here because this was _her dimension_ and whatever she said was the reality here.

She turned back to her couch which had turned into an elegant chaise lounge, her robes swished as she settled down.

Hades stood tensely at the sudden change in territory, she had all the power here ad he could do nothing about that.

She lifted her mouth into a cordial smile. "Please do sit, would you like to drink anything in particular?"

He sat stiffly, "No, thank you" he said cautiously.

"Then we'll get straight to the point then" she raised a delicate eyebrow, "do tell me why you are here" it was not a request it was an order, but Hades had pride and there was no way this woman no matter how powerful would gain the satisfaction of his concession.

He was no stranger to politics on his back foot.

"Here" he began dryly "well that would be because you seem to have an affinity to … traveling. No?" he stared at her coolly.

 _Ooh, someone fun!_ She thought gleefully , and suddenly Hades wasn't so sure in the face of the gleam in her eye, he didn't know if it was predatory or crazy all he knew was that he _didn't. Of course,_ that didn't mean he was going to give in, he would never give in easily no matter who the opponent, _he would find Poseidon and his spawn_.

 _Stubborn, and careful, but he would_ pay _for ever thinking he could insult her._

"So you're looking for your brother" statement. And pause.

Hades blinked, feeling the feather light touch that was so easily missed, reach and _shoved_ bringing up iron walls around his mind, he hadn't had a contest of minds in so long, he berated himself at his complacency.

"You are very skilled, but I do not have the name of one so skilled," he said carefully, this was the only influence he could have on her and he would grip it like a lifeline if he wanted to get out of this unharmed. This woman was as scary as the dragon her eyes alluded to, blood red and hungry, he had no clue what this woman wanted, but she was powerful enough that her name may seem like nothing.

Thank goodness for his studies in the obscure arts one of which being names, he carefully held his mind barred from any intruders, aware at how easily he could miss her slipping stealthily into the crevices of his mind.

A sharp smile, all fang and threat, _he would love that wouldn't he_ " Very smooth, however... I don't need a reaffirmation of my pride " she deliberately expanded her power, condensed it so much so that she would _suffocate him_ "what I want..." her presence looming as she didn't even raise a finger "is to have a decent conversation with a decent man, how about you?"

It was presented as sweet sickly sweet as he choked under the sheer pressure, nobody should be able to do this, not when he had both his halves working as one, but not even the pure force of him could hold against this and his shields crumbled.

"Y-yes" he barely choked out, and the pressure finally let up, he composed himself quickly ...she was far more deadly than he first suspected. She had power and skill to back up confidence that he had first mistaken for arrogance.

"Brilliant, so why is it that you have decided to come to my humble abode", repeating her question, pointedly chastising his defiance behind a sweet smile, and the scariest thing was how the smile was so _genuine_ it reached her eyes effortlessly and crinkled their corners.

No matter how outclassed he was he would not give in, he would do his best and the best he could do now was _survive._

He snorted mentally _a proud god reduced to this_.

"You see my brother has broken his oath and as I was punished, so should he, and now he has chosen to directly interfere with that" he did not elaborate.

"And you are with me because…" she trailed off questioningly, _when will you snap for me ... I want the real you, so show me ._

"You seem to have been in contact with his magical signature, I am hunting him and he is not so skilful as he may seem to think he is at hiding" he held onto his temper, even as he ached at the reminder of why - _Maria, I'm sorry_.

She easily felt it, the crack in his walls so she coaxed them down, his none the wiser. _Guilt, misery, love_ , yes she finally had a person to talk to, not a deity who defended his domain, simply a lover who had lost his love and children to an oath, it hurt so much that she could feel it pulsing from him. She admired his strength, a strength she never had, she reached mentally no longer probing but simply there, warm and comfort for the loneliest soul she had met in all these years.

"I see so this is lawfull revenge at your own hurt" she seemed sad and he relaxed without even realising it.

She thought silently and not the threatening pauses she held over his head like a guillotine before but a solemn thinking silence where she stared at nothing, as if lost in thought, he never even realised that his shields had fallen long ago, for some reason he had no inclination to put them back up.

 _Why?,_ he looked, _oh_ , he realised it was because her shield had fallen to, he couldn't see her thoughts they were still a haze blocking him, but it was a sign of trust for him not to take advantage of the millisecond reaction time she would need in order to defend the most vulnerable part of her being.

He should be berating himself but he never has the instincts for mental battle, and he felt _tired_.

 _Why was he so alone?_

He felt more comfortable in a dimension where he was powerless, with the most dangerous stranger he had ever met who threatened him as easily as if he were mortal, _more than his own family_.

A stranger who actually listened to him and accepted his need to settle his grudge. Who saw him and not an assumed image that was far too set before she had even seen him, _like his siblings,_ he thought bitterly.

The feel of eyes resting on his figure drew him back into the power of those blood red eyes, no longer the cutting power that pierced his very essence, no it was gentle as molten lava, warm and slow and dangerous if you went too far but for now, it was okay.

"Well I can't offer you what you want but I can offer…" her razor smile had returned but this time it was not shearing away at him, no it was presented as an offering just as much as the hand she held out, a wicked friendship and with something delicious first on the menu.

 _Yes,please._

* * *

 **So yeah, chapter 2.**

 **This is all really thanks to strongward- cause I wasn't really confident I this story but I couldn't disappoint.**

 **I hate it when authors disappoint so if you ever think I need to get off my behind, just drop me an email or something so that I actually do something.**

 **In fact, this chapter was actually planned with more scenes but even without them it's pretty long, which is actually good new cause that means that**

 **I have started the next chapter already!**

 ***startled gasp from the crowd***

 **so yeah it's 2:20 am right now so say thank you cause this is for you and I have to suffer from sleep deprivation.**

Yours sincerely **Mind ** :)


	4. Chapter 3

**Okay so this isn't Betaed - so it's probably filled with mistakes.**

 **If you wanna point them out I'm all ears- honestly, if something doesn't make sense to you it probably doesn't make sense at all and I got carried away ^-^**

 **I only vaguely know where this story is going but if you wanna suggest any edits. Like there is this character you really think you want to be involved.**

 **I plan to deviate from the usual percabeth. ANY** **PAIRING SUGGESTIONS ARE OPEN. :D**

 **So yeah - I HOPE YOU ENJOY.**

 **btw - I;m really bad at updating but I'll try.**

 **Thanks for the support- I don't care if you review. Just read and enjoy if you will**

 **So Voila! Seulment pour vous.**

* * *

"Okay' he panted, "I think we lost it" he gripped his knees as he tried to regain his breath.

There was a moment of silence-

-"Wha' was tha' thing?" Ethan burst out.

He flopped to the ground and Percy sat beside him, "no clue."

Percy caught site of the mysterious backpack again, the baton had stuck itself to it somehow when they were running, and he knew for sure now that the blue light was there, well to him at least, Ethan hadn't said anything about it.

Ethan sniffed at something and was diving into the backpack before Percy could even realise what was happening. "Oooh, chocolate ... Thank you, Percy," (of course his manners were impeccable, he was raised right. *cough*)

Green eyes crossed as a chocolate bar was thrust into his face. He smiled at the beaming five-year-old and took it, you wouldn't think they were just scared out of their shit just moments ago.

A comfortable silence settled at she two children shared the snacks in the backpack, which from what Percy had seen contained water, chocolate, some snack bars, sunscreen and sunglasses.

Percy was about to zip the bag up when something papery caught his eye, a piece of paper, he slowly unfolded the crumpled paper to a map, with a bright blue spot pulsing in one of the narrower back alleys of what looked like manhattan.

He blinked in shock as it was the same blue light he saw in his weird dream, he looked around almost waiting for someone to jump and shout _Joke!_ "So what's that blue thing thing?"

 _So he wasn't actually imagining_ the black line that drew itself slowly over the white paper. Round the corner and then ended abruptly.

He stood still gazing intently down at the map. Ethan bounced eagerly beside him.

"Ar'we following it, oooh! like a treasure hunt'.

Percy just shook his head fondly and moved forward, the blue dot tracing the black line as he did so.

 _I wonder where this leads to._

* * *

" We've all finally arrived, the Olympian Council is now in session " Zeus began formally to the assembly of gods.

However, today was different usually the gathering of this many gods made the air-volatile, invisible sparks and rushes of heady power were all absent which was probably what highlighted the almost … sickly complexions of those present and _worse_ the gaping absence left in their midst, that came all too suddenly and even further the aching of their physical and spiritual forms disguised many things including the mourning of one of the many present.

Zeus waited, the silence grave yet none broke it. This meeting was so different from any before and in those few moments that none breathed a word it became clear that this was very much uncharted territory the likes of which had never been seen before.

"As you have all noticed there was a … power surge recently" he chose each word carefully, "what we must do is find the source of this" he paused here, not for emphasis but more to try to make sense of the chaos before he told them, "Lachesis, the second of the Morai … has disappeared."

(Morai = the three fates)

Gasps filled the air.

None could make sense of this. "How is this related to the power surge?" Athena struck deadly and precise, a cold calm steady in her voice. A constant that the others could always rely on in troubled times.

Externally, that was. She was the strategist, the wise and logical and she was vital to Olympus she could not show weakness just like Ares could not show fear nor Demeter cruelty. Internally, however, she could be what she wanted and currently, she was grasping at the tiniest of threads to hold herself up. To know what to do when all else failed.

Her family needed her. _By Chaos, she felt so young, lost for all her skills._

Zeus acknowledged her with a nod and then concentrated on summoning a guest to the hall of the Olympians allowing access to them. There was a concentration of power to the centre of the hall and from within it emerged 2 figures who bowed to the Lord of the court before they rose in unison to reveal the Morai.

Or at least what was left of them.

Clotho quivered at the strength it took still to stand. She was paler than death, but the frail and bony figure had nothing on her sister who stood with slightly more strength but that probably took all her willpower though understandable why she did force the torture upon herself.

None should ever pity a fate who were cruel and just to the best of gods but here before them was the most pitiful thing they had ever seen. It was clear she was even more sickly than Clotho but what made it worse, was the multitude of scars that ran along every inch of her skin like a horrible parody of the very web she trimmed each day.

Her hands were the worst from the way she carefully winced and manoeuvred them with each shift of her body. The scars looked infected and almost like tears. As if someone had taken a knife and begun to slice only to then decide to yank the skin into the cruellest of wounds. What was most astonishing however was the absence of her ever present scissors gleaming in unholy delight that Athena had sworn that had even Atropos occasionally looking weary.

" As you know our sister is gone" two raspy voices echoed in tandem. " But there is more. The weave of Destiny has torn. That is why all Oracles are suffering they .. see too many things because there are no more clear paths."

"Yeah, well that's as clear as mud" growled Artemis. Surprising in her crassness and intensity which she spat the words at the fates. She was the epitome of fury, eyes blazing and power rolling off her in waves. Apparently, she had decided to forgo the weakness sapping at all of them in favour of anger: Athena eyed her warily.

"Stop talking shit and make some actual Fucking sense. Right. Now. I'm not taking any of this crap while my brother is _Fading_." Her eyes flickered to the empty seat beside her.

(Fading e.g what happened to Pan)

A pause. All too noticeable in the moment where the fates deliberated how to approach the topic as if it were gasoline … and they held the match.

"The web of fate has several" they searched for a word but none could come close, " anchors, in a way, they connect millions of threads together, this is the first time one has disappeared from the web entirely and the web it tearing into itself."

Artemis had calmed at the clearer explanation. Well not calm but certainly less willing to rage and destroy like before. Instead, cold hard eyes stared at the fates, sharp and cutting.

" What does this mean for my brother?"

"Artemis, enough with this insolence!" Zeus barked, his daughter had spoken out of turn one too many times but unlike before when she had been reprimanded, she did not back down.

Instead, her sharp gaze flickered to him and then dismissed him in favour of the fates as she awaited an answer. This prompted more than one deity in the room to tense but any action was stalled as Clotho turned to Poseidon because as the stalemate continued none noticed the fates as they debated internally what they would say.

"Your son was the anchor".

All eyes landed on Poseidon who didn't even acknowledge them, instead, he acted like this was exactly as he expected.

"Was" he quoted simply at the accusing stares drilling into him. He felt dead inside, or maybe that was just the continuing absence that he had felt not so long ago. His son ...

Athena, on the other hand, analyzed this all, immediate repercussions of the oath on the demigods as a whole, the eldest gods prophecy and Artemis being uncooperative. She didn't even dare to think about the long-term repercussions, her father was practically radiating tension at the way that the meeting was progressing, not to mention the doom that the fates foretold. She tried to focus but thoughts kept slipping away from her.

She gave up, she couldn't concentrate, instead, she tried to unearth _why_ she couldn't focus.

 _Oh,_ It was clear now why the meeting was so jarring to Athena. The absence of poorly veiled insults had only added to the sense of unfamiliarity. Ironic she hadn't noticed how comforting it was to constantly be challenged by Poseidon until he wouldn't anymore.

Her eyes snapped back when a growl echoed the halls. Artemis was glowing with fury. _Literally_ , in turn, the moon was dimming outside as her chariot moved through the star. She was drawing power to herself in case she needed to take action, Athena realised. Was it to attack or (her gaze flickered to the raging Olympian King)... defend?

"I don't care about a pathetic half-blood" she spat and swept her eyes around the room, " If you will be of no help to me then begone from my presence I shall do this myself." She commanded as she moved to l.

Zeus stood abruptly.

"You have no say on this council! You were not dismissed!" He snarled at her gall to usurp his power but she didn't so much as pause at his call. Moving with new determination.

And out of the hall in front of all the watching eyes of the council.

* * *

"We're leaving"

Percy stared at her. They were on their way back to the shop. Back to their warm beds after and exhausting day. He almost missed the casual statement entirely with how emotionally and physically exhausted he was.

Thinking back on it now. He didn't even think about his mother having a funeral but there he was in front of the most beautiful gravestone he had ever seen, with heartbreaking writing and last week's date etched into it.

He had cried, of course, He didn't think it would have been possible for him _not_ to cry as his mother's - coffin was lowered into the ground.

He had silently talked to her. Told her all of the events that had happened (hope), of how he was going (melancholy) to make her proud (promise). He told her all the things he wished (regret) he could have said. All the thank yous (happy) and I love yous (grateful) and maybe a little more (heartfelt). Words that only he would know and maybe … she would too.

Then he told her goodbye. He cried and he walked away. (Peace)

And apparently he wasn't just walking he was flying. All the way to Africa. Benin to be specific.

Why? Because the crazy lady said so with a smile on her face.

So yeah they were leaving New York and heading off. Somehow in just a day, she had managed to whip up a passport and necessary identification for an orphan with no documentation AND pull all the right strings that in two hours they would be in a business class lounge with fancy drinks in hand waiting for their flight.

"What about Ethan?" He asked thinking about the little boy they had taken home before she led him to the funeral.

"You will see him again" She looked away guiltily even as she said that. He kept silent, hoping that she was right but really they both doubted it.

He thought of the cute kids smile with dark puffs of hair framing it, making it stand out and hoped that they were proven wrong - they stepped onto the plane - _perhaps when they came back?_


End file.
